Colonel's Dream

Written in 1905 The Colonel's Dream is a compelling bitter tale of the post-Civil War South's degeneration into a region awash with virulent racist practices against African Americans: segregation lynchings disenfranchisement convict-labor exploitation and endemic violent repression. The events in this novel are powerfully depicted from the point of view of a philanthropic but unreliable southern white colonel. Upon his return to the South the colonel quickly learns to abhor this world and a tale of vicious racism unfolds. Through this narrative Chestnutt confronts the deteriorating position of African Americans in an increasingly racist and segregated South. Upon its publication The Colonel's Dream was considered controversial and unpalatable so this groundbreaking work failed to gain public attention and acclaim.